Reading is one of the best ways to help your child learn and succeed later in life. And it starts long before they can read on their own. Babies and young children build early literacy by listening to stories, looking at pictures, and talking with you. Reading together every day grows your child’s vocabulary, memory, and focus — and makes your bond even stronger.
Here are some favorite books and easy activities you can do at different ages:
Birth to 8 Months — Look, Look! by Peter Linenthal
Hold the book close, turn the pages slowly, and talk softly about the black-and-white pictures. Babies love your voice and your facial expressions.
8 to 18 Months — Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill
Lift the flaps together and ask simple questions like “Where’s the dog?” Let your baby help turn the pages.
18 to 24 Months — Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
Make animal sounds and pretend to move like them. This helps your child connect words with actions.
2 to 3 Years — Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. & Eric Carle
Repeat the lines together and pause so your child can finish the sentence. Repetition helps with memory and early talking.
3 to 4 Years — If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff
Guess together what the pig might want next. This sparks imagination and encourages conversation.
4 to 5 Years — Shapes in the Kitchen by Tracey Steffora
After reading, look around your kitchen for shapes and draw them together. Reading becomes fun, hands-on learning.
